Rubber roller vs. traditional steel roller – the maintenance profile
Day-to-day care
• Rubber rollers: only need routine wipe-down to remove dust and product residue; their surface is soft so debris seldom embeds.
• Steel rollers: debris can dent or scratch the shell, so operators must inspect for pitting and remove metal swarf to prevent belt damage.
Lubrication & alignment
• Both types use sealed bearings, but steel rollers require periodic re-greasing of the shaft ends because metal-on-metal contact accelerates wear if lubricant dries out.
• Rubber rollers run quieter and with lower vibration, so bearings stay in alignment longer and need adjustment less often.
Resistance to accidental damage
• Rocks, dropped tools or pallet nails will dent a steel roller shell and can throw it out of round; once dented, the roller usually has to be replaced.
• The rubber cover absorbs minor impacts and can be re-ground or re-coated; the steel core underneath remains intact.
Corrosion & chemical exposure
• Steel rollers can rust in wash-down areas or chemical plants, creating abrasive scale that damages belt edges. They must be checked for corrosion every few weeks.
• Rubber is naturally corrosion-proof; only the cover compound needs to be matched to the chemical environment, eliminating rust-related maintenance.
Overall replacement cycle
• Steel: long intervals between full replacements, but when damage occurs the entire roller is scrapped.
• Rubber: the cover can be stripped and re-vulcanised 2–3 times before the core is retired, cutting replacement cost and downtime